So you’ve got your event mapped out and it’s time to get spending to bring your ideas to life, but how can you make sure your event budget covers everything you need to create the perfect corporate event or conference? We’ve put together our 5 top tips on how you can get the most out of your corporate events budget!
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Free doesn’t mean inefficient!
Whether you’re looking for a program that can virtually invite your guests to your event, or a tool that can help with presentations during your event, event planners tend to steer clear of free tools and often end up spending too much of their event budget on software programs.
We tend to view free tools as basic and inefficient in completing the tasks we need to, but that’s not always the case! There are many software programs that allow free trials; as well as completely free apps and programs that are perfect for your event. A few of our favourites include Canva for basic digital designs, TryBooking for online ticketing and MailChimp’s free subscription for electronic newsletters to guests before or after your event.
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Volunteers
Though volunteers are not appropriate for all events, they might be perfect for yours! If your event is a fundraiser or a non-for-profit business event, this is especially useful. Volunteers can be compensated with free admission to your event following their service or written references for their future job searches. It does take time and money to train volunteers before your event, but it’s certainly a much more budget-friendly option than hiring staff for the day.
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Sponsorship packages
A great money-saving tip is to partner with an external company that aligns with your event’s key message to sponsor your upcoming event. Sponsors can add value by way of direct payment to be named as an event sponsor or holding an activation at your event, or by adding value to your event (eg. Providing the guest speakers) at no cost to you. Here at The Pier, we offer a marketing sponsorship package for fundraising events held with us. For more details on this package, get in touch with our team here.
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Digital marketing is key
If your event is open to the public, there’s no need to take out expensive print or radio ads when your potential attendees are all active on LinkedIn or Facebook. Social media platforms allow for ads to be targeted to a certain demographic – be it location, employment status, or career field – so you can easily choose who sees your ads and learns about your event. Social ads are a fraction of the cost of external advertising, and often more effective because of how targeted they can be!
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Book your events in bulk
Many vendors and suppliers, including us here at The Pier, can offer discounted rates when you book multiple events at the same time. If you hold an annual conference or quarterly company events, it’s worth locking them all in early to potentially negotiate a better price. Plus, it will reduce your event planning costs if you have the following events locked in all at once! Ask your Pier events specialist when booking your next event with us if this offer is applicable to your corporate event.
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